TV’s Effect on Mood

Cancer can mess with every single aspect of your life. Mental health is one of the most notable areas that can be affected, which I’m sure comes as no surprise to most of you. Since my metastatic diagnosis earlier this year, I have found it particularly difficult to manage my anxiety, PTSD, and depression. It is literally an everyday battle, trying to keep my head above water… it’s just a matter of How difficult each day (or hour) will be that varies. 

One of the things I have come to find (much too late in life, in my opinion), is how significantly my mood can be impacted by what my mind is consuming. Now, for some of you that might seem like a no-brainer. For me, it took a while to figure it out. 

I have always been what some would call “tender-hearted.” I’ve never been one to enjoy scary movies or even action/thriller films. My body can’t seem to tell the difference between a real threat and something I’m watching on TV. My heart will start racing, I’ll be sweating, and I’ll be on my phone to distract myself (or possibly even Googling the plot/outcome to help ease my anxiety rather than wait and watch it unfold). Why, then, did I not think this issue applied to all other genres and moods? 

Now, I Love me some Grey’s Anatomy and Outlander, but do my body and mood love them? Hell no! Even if I’ve watched the same episode more than once, I still cry, get nervous, sweaty, anxious, etc. And it doesn’t just go away once I turn off the show. Those physical and mental changes stick with me, and can even interrupt my sleep! Sounds a bit bizarre, to some of you, I’m sure. Now, I know with 100% certainty that these are TV shows/movies. I know that these actors are actually alive and well and living very different lives from their characters on the screen. But the emotions were triggered, and they don’t like to leave or change easily. 

So, what do I do? I watch FEEL GOOD shows!… Which means almost exclusively comedies. I can enjoy the occasional Rom-Com (especially if it’s one I’ve seen and enjoyed before), but if I’m not laughing, I know I probably shouldn’t be watching it unless I want to deal with the repercussions. 

Thankfully, I married a guy with a similar and fantastic sense of humor, so we have a lot of fun exploring new shows together and rewatching some of our favorites. This gives me something I can look forward to each day, and lightens my mood a bit, no matter how upset or worked up I might be.

Right now Brandon and I are watching the CBS version of Ghosts. It is light-hearted, clever, and funny. The characters are endearing, and there’s even some dark humor now and then, for which I do have an appreciation 😏. We’ll definitely be watching the BBC version of Ghosts once we get caught up with this one. 

If any of you are looking for some suggestions in the comedy or feel-good TV genres, here is a list of our/my favorites: 

• 30 Rock 
• Arrested Development 
• Big Bang Theory 
• Brooklyn Nine-Nine 
• Community 
• Dead to Me (dark humor) 
• Flight of the Conchords 
• Friends 
• Golden Girls 
• Last Man on Earth 
• The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel 
• New Girl
• Parks & Recreation 
• Queer Eye (never Not cried from an episode, but so so feel-good!) 
• Raising Hope 
• Scrubs (will still make me cry, but is overall feel-good) 
• Schitt’s Creek 
• Ted Lasso (Umm, the Best)
• The Good Place 
• Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

We have watched all of these multiple times – I think we’ve made it through all of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt at least 4 or 5 times now, including the movie. I’ll also admit that I’ve seen every episode of Friends and Golden Girls probably over 20 times, and I still rewatch them regularly. Can you say “comfort shows?!” 

What are some of your favorite feel-good TV shows that I don’t have listed here? We’re always looking for new ones to add to our queue!